MeMere

My husband's grandmother, or MeMere, passed away September 30th. It's part of the reason that I haven't made many posts lately. I was trying to put some of my thoughts together and I also was hoping to get some pictures from my mother-in-law from the family gatherings. MeMere had lived a full life. She was from Massachusetts, and although she had lived in Arizona since 1969, her accent was still noticeable. I met my husband's family for the first time, while we were dating, when I went with my husband to his cousin's wedding. It was Christmas time. The whole family was very welcoming of me but MeMere took the cake and inviting me to the family Christmas gathering in a week's time. And she would not take a no or a maybe as an answer. My attendance was a must. Over the last two years I had become to know her better. She was always smiling. It was the essential to her personal fashion statement. She was also very devote in her faith. Raised a Catholic and raised all her children to be active Catholics, she was a regular attendee at mass. I admired this in her. I also wanted so much to share with her the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. The night after her passing during family prayer my husband prayed for his MeMere who was in the spirit world to hear and accept the fullness of the Gospel. I was very touched by this. It had never occurred to me to pray for them. I pray for friends and family members all the time that the day will come that they will want to learn and be prepared to learned about why my religion is more then just a social organization for me. I don't know why it had never occurred to me that praying they will will accept the Truth is something that I could do to help them.

Last year my Grandpa passed away. It was a different experience for my husband to attend a LDS viewing and funeral, since he was raised Catholic. Being raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) I had only ever know LDS funerals and going to a catholic funeral was very different. Both the viewing and the funeral for a member of the LDS church is an time to celebrate and remember the passed on loved one's life, and to be reminded of the beauty of the Plan of Salvation, and that families are forever. In contrast, the viewing was much the same, but the funeral was not much of her life. It was just a mass, that the scriptures were a bit more appropriate for a funeral. For me, this is not offer closure. MeMere met Pepere while they were both serving in the Navy during WWII. Because of her years of service (which I totally think is awesome), there was a gun solute and she was buried in the National Memorial Cemetery. The few moments at the cemetery offered some closure. But all in all I think that the reason I didn't feel that closure was the lack of being spiritually fed that I am use to at funerals. All of my in laws are wonderful, righteous people, who are a sure faith in Jesus Christ. Sometimes I have to remind myself that they are not already members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know their faith is a big part of who they are, but I desire so much to share with them that there is more. That the fullness of the blessings and truth of Christ's gospel were lost over the ages, and that they were restored through Joseph Smith. That the Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible and its truths, instead it is a companion to the Bible reinforcing the truths therein and clarifying doctrines that have been misunderstood due to lost information. My faith in Jesus Christ and His plan for us, is the most important thing to me in my life. It is what makes me love my family more. I love my in-laws, as I said before they are such wonderful people. I love them so much that I want them to be with me for eternity just as I will be with my family. I pray for the day that I can share these truths with them and hopefully they will recognize the truths. MeMere was a true example of charity in her life. I hope that when I pass away the same can be said of me. I too pray that she will be given the opportunity to hear and understand also.